TrailPatrol
07-18-2004, 08:35 PM
Just got back from almost a week up north, and I bear exciting news from Ely; Somebody in the US Forest Service is starting to pay attention to mountain biking! They actually even have a flyer out for the public on suggested routes. That's the good news. The rest of the story is that it is just a general location map, without a lot of detail. Most of the trails are the ones found in Steve Johnson's Mountain Biking Minnesota. So, after the Wilderness First Aid class I taught was over, I spent the better part of the afternoon almost until dark GPS-ing the area south of the Kawishiwi River, and west of the BWCA. Most of the trails are old fire lanes, somewhat overgrown, but not bad. I stumbled on a really neat trail, not shown on the topo they gave me, leading into a small lake, that looks like a great fishing hole. I will have to go back next month. Until then, I am not sharing what lake or how to reach it. I told the Forest Service I would come back to finish GPS-ing Kawishiwi in August, and we (Backcountry Patrol) would work on the others they list next summer. In the interim, there is some truly wild riding to be found in that area! Make sure you take a map, compass, tools and some sort of survival kit. (I know it sound melodramatic, but this is one of those areas where you really could get lost, and/or a mechanical breakdown could mean a night in the woods! (Lions and tigers and bears and mooses, Oh my!)
Also from Ely, the bike shop in Ely, now called The Bike Shop in Ely, has new owners, who bought it from Piragis Outfitters early this year. It is still located in the little building behind Piragis on Sheridan Ave. (MN 1 and 169) Talked with Denise, the new owner/manager a couple times over the time I was up there, and she wants people to start bringing their bikes when they come up to Ely, and stop by the shop to chat.
As the (paved) Mesabi Trail between Ely and Grand Rapids gets finished, the whole North Country is going to become more "bike-aware." In addition to Giant's Ridge, there are some under-used MTB trails in the western part of Superior N.F., and other areas waiting to be explored. I spoke with a US Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer from Cooke who rides in an area north of Virginia, and says there are some great trails there, but rarely any other riders.
The North Woods are waiting for mountain bikes. Maybe we could do for their economy what biking has done for Cable. All you have to do is drive!
Ride safe,
Hans
Also from Ely, the bike shop in Ely, now called The Bike Shop in Ely, has new owners, who bought it from Piragis Outfitters early this year. It is still located in the little building behind Piragis on Sheridan Ave. (MN 1 and 169) Talked with Denise, the new owner/manager a couple times over the time I was up there, and she wants people to start bringing their bikes when they come up to Ely, and stop by the shop to chat.
As the (paved) Mesabi Trail between Ely and Grand Rapids gets finished, the whole North Country is going to become more "bike-aware." In addition to Giant's Ridge, there are some under-used MTB trails in the western part of Superior N.F., and other areas waiting to be explored. I spoke with a US Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer from Cooke who rides in an area north of Virginia, and says there are some great trails there, but rarely any other riders.
The North Woods are waiting for mountain bikes. Maybe we could do for their economy what biking has done for Cable. All you have to do is drive!
Ride safe,
Hans